The gardens were never intended to be a public park initially, but John W. Sherwood opened his private estate to the public as early as the 1920s.
The tulip bulbs are sourced directly from the Netherlands annually to ensure specific color arrangements.
The park contains some of the oldest and largest English boxwoods in the United States, some dating back to the original estate landscaping.
Because the gardens are located on a private residential block, there is no formal perimeter fence or gated entry system.
The maintenance of the garden relies heavily on a dedicated group of neighborhood volunteers rather than city municipal staff.
Sherwood Gardens is a six-acre private park in Baltimore's Guilford neighborhood known for its massive annual display of over 80,000 tulips. The land was originally part of the estate of John W. Sherwood, a local oil executive who transformed the grounds into a formal garden. It features a diverse collection of English boxwoods, dogwoods, wisterias, and flowering cherry trees alongside the signature tulips. The park is managed by the Stratford Green neighborhood association, which maintains the grounds as a non-profit community asset. The gardens are designed without fences or walls, creating an open, accessible landscape for the public. The floral display is meticulously replanted each year using imported bulbs, primarily from the Netherlands. The site serves as a vital green space for the surrounding historic residential district. Because the garden is privately owned and maintained by neighborhood volunteers, access depends on community funding and preservation efforts.
The central lawn area offers a panoramic view of the primary tulip beds with the historic boxwoods as a backdrop.
Visit during the weekday mornings to avoid the heavy weekend crowds of local photographers.
Bring a camera, as the garden is designed to have multiple peak blooming cycles throughout the spring.
Respect the residential nature of the surrounding streets by using designated crosswalks and keeping noise levels low.
Do not park in front of residential driveways; the surrounding streets are narrow and strictly monitored for neighborhood parking violations.
The park is best experienced in the spring; the gardens are open year-round, though the floral displays are dormant during winter and summer months.
Stay on the designated gravel and grass paths; do not pick the tulips or walk inside the flower beds.
